Authorized Steve Jobs biography gets 'more elegant' title

Dissatisfied with the working title of his authorized biography of Apple CEO Steve Jobs, author Walter Isaacson has decided to follow the design philosophy of his subject and go with a "simpler and more elegant" title.

The original title, "iSteve: The Book of Jobs," was apparently chosen by publisher Simon & Schuster's publicity department and never sat well with the author, Fortune reports.

After Isaacson's wife and daughter opposed the title for being "too cutesy," the former Time Magazine executive convinced his publisher "to go with something simpler and more elegant: "Steve Jobs" by Walter Isaacson," the report noted.

The biography, which will be the first to receive Jobs' blessing, is scheduled to arrive in early 2012. Interest in the book appears to be strong, as online retailer Amazon's initial preorder offer briefly carried the title into the top 50 of its bestseller list.

Amazon is offering the hardcover version for $16.50, 45 percent off the list price and down from last month's preorder price of $19.80, while the Kindle version presells for $14.99.

According to Simon & Schuster publisher Jonathan Karp, the book will tell a "unique story of revolutionary genius," though in the same vein as Isaacson's best-selling biographies of Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein.

As a result of Jobs' willing collaboration, Isaacson has enjoyed unprecedented access to the normally private CEO, receiving permission to interview family members, coworkers and competitors and even touring Jobs' childhood home.

While Isaacson's work isn't the first biography about Jobs, unauthorized biographies about the Apple co-founder have been known to suffer consequences. In 2005, the release of the book "iCon Steve Jobs: The Greatest Second Act in the History of Business" prompted Apple to remove all titles by publisher John Wiley & Sons from its retail stores.

Then it's a pretty poor job of retitling. You're obviously the wrong demographic.

We're talking about a biography here, not a work or fiction. I see no reason the title needs to be showy. If the person in question isn't compelling enough for the appropriate demographic then a silly title isn't going to help.

I see a need for it to be based on a small subset of the marketing and retail success from Jobs long and successful career. If it was actually clever I would be all for it, but it wasn't.

I will neither buy nor read it too. Biography is lame, regardless who.

"Biography is lame, regardless who" That is truly one of the most puzzling statements I've ever read, and I read a lot of crap every day. I wish that I could say more, but how do you respond to that attitude?